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2013-14 SALUKI BASKETBALL SIUSALUKIS.CoM

STAFF BIoS

NATE
“Nate’s experience as a

head coach and having

MAST
worked and played at

the highest level of

college basketball is a
Director of Operations
tremendous asset for us.”
Experience: 6th year
— Barry Hinson
At SIU: 2nd year

Alma Mater: Illinois (2002)

Nate Mast was named Saluki

Basketball’s first full-time director
of basketball operations on May 19,

2012.
Prior to SIU, Mast served as

head coach at Parkland College in
Champaign, Ill., where he posted a

53-44 record, including an NJCAA
Division II national tournament

appearance in 2012.
A 2002 graduate of the

University of Illinois, Mast was a
student assistant for one season for

the Illini (2001-02) and later joined
Bill Self’s staff at Kansas in 2004 in

an administrative capacity. While
at Kansas, the Jayhawks won three

Big 12 Conference championships.
In 2007, Mast accepted his first

coaching job at an assistant at the
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith,

where he helped the Lions to a
record of 51-13 during two seasons.

“Nate’s experience as a head
coach and having worked and

played at the highest level of college
basketball will be a tremendous asset

for us,” said Hinson. “We are happy
to welcome Nate, his wife Ashley,

and his children, Nolan and Kendall,
to our Saluki family.”

A four year letterman at Illinois,
Mast holds the UI scoring record for walk-ons. He played in 72 games from 1997-2001, including four starts and was named

to the Big Ten Academic All-Conference team. He played three seasons for Lon Kruger and one season under Self.

“I’m excited to be here and back at the Division I level,” Mast said. “I’m looking forward to working together with our staff.”
Mast was a two-time recipient of the Kenny Battle Most Inspirational Player Award, was part of three Big Ten championship

teams and helped the Illini reach the NCAA Elite 8 during his senior year.
Mast recently released a book on Amazon.com titled, “Go Get That Scholarship!: A Guide to College Basketball Recruiting

for High School Players, Parents and Sports Fans.”
A Champaign native, Mast was inducted into the Central High School Hall of Fame in 2008. He is married to the former

Ashley Seaman of Champaign, and the couple has two children, Nolan (5) and Kendall (3).

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NIT IN 1967(ChAMPIoNS), 69, 75, 89, 90, 91, 92, 00, 08